Small Moments
by SWGraysonPaladinOmniChick227
Summary: A series of small moments with the team. (Aka Klance. Klance everywhere.) Current: Keith not only struggles to keep Lance alive, but also to figure out his own emotions.
1. The Bonding Moment

Story: The Bonding Moment

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 **Me: Hey guys! Welcome to my first Voltron fanfic!**

 **Disclaimer: Yay. Voltron.**

 **Me: What? Don't you like it?**

 **Disclaimer: OF COURSE I DO! BUT ALL WEEK ALL I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IS KLANCE KLANCE KLANCE!**

 **Me: Oh…sorry?**

 **Disclaimer: *sighs* We own nothing.**

* * *

 _Summary: Bonding moment? What bonding moment? And what is this about "cradled in Keith's arms?" Oh, Lance remembers perfectly. Not that he'd tell Keith that._

 _Rating-13+_

* * *

"We _are_ a good team," he murmured in exhaustion.

Keith smiled, and his grip on Lance's hand tightened subconsciously. It was a quiet, tender exchange, and a rare one at that, between the two rivals.

But it was short lived.

Lance groaned and Keith could tell he was about to fall. He dove into action, never letting go of his hand. His free arm shot out and caught him by the shoulder. He moved into a more comfortable position, slipping it under his shoulder blades.

"Easy," he soothed.

The Blue Paladin let out a soft hum, and his dark blue eyes met Keith's deep violet, and in them he could see how much pain Lance was really in. Shiro had been right. This was _bad_.

"It's…it's gonna be okay. Hunk and Coran will be back here with the crystal in no time, okay?" he promised, voice trembling.

Lance nodded, an almost unnoticeable shake of the head. He gave one of his small, classic grins, teeth sparkling. He coughed then, panicking Keith as a small speck of blood trickled from his lips.

He sensed a presence behind him, but his focus was on Lance.

The Cuban shivered and Keith drew him closer, positioning his elbow under Lance's neck.

"Coran and Hunk just entered the atmosphere. The cryopods will be up within fifteen minutes," Shiro informed him quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Keith nodded. "Hey, Lance. You with me man?" he shook him gently.

"Mmm," he mumbled. The teen was hardly lucid. "S-Sí, estoy despierto."

Keith frowned. Lance never spoke Spanish. But he did know that Lance had said yes, which was a good sign.

"Lance, we've got to get you on your feet. Can you stand?" he tried.

He felt Lance try, but the second he left Keith's arms, he flopped back in exhaustion. The Red Paladin caught him instantly, making him yelp as he jarred his battered body.

"Oh kay…let's not try _that_ again," he chuckled softly. His small smile vanished when Lance wheezed loudly.

Shiro shifted behind him, and he could see Pidge and Allura hovering in the corner of his eye in concern.

"Just hold on a little longer Lance. You're gonna be fine," in a rare display of emotion, he let go of Lance's hand to reach up and smooth back his coffee hair. A small tear slipped down his cheek.

The two felt the rumble of the pod landing, crystal in tow.

"Ya hear that Lance?" he smiled. "They're here. It's gonna be _fine_."

"Hey…mullet?" came the soft, almost inaudible voice.

"Yeah moron?" he replied quietly.

"Thanks…but shut up?" he whispered with a wheezy chuckle, making Keith grin again.

His face fell when Lance's eyes slipped shut, the hand that was draped across his stomach falling to the floor.

"Lance? Hey, wake up buddy," he shook him gingerly, patting his cheek. "C'mon man, open your eyes."

He felt Shiro put a hand on his shoulder again.

"You're gonna have to carry him. Can you handle that?"

Keith glanced down at his younger friend's slack face. His mouth was slightly ajar, and he was wheezing harshly. Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth, and the burn marks all over his armor only served to remind Keith just how lucky Lance actually was to have been wearing it.

"Yeah I've got him," he muttered.

He moved his free hand away from Lance's hair where he'd been brushing it from where it had stuck to his forehead with sweat. He swiftly tucked his arm beneath the bends of his knees. Lance let out a pitiful whimper as Keith lifted him into the air. His head fell against the older teen's shoulder, and the hot breath that blew against his neck was almost reassuring in a way that he was still alive.

When Keith had entered the crystal room after the explosion and the smoke had cleared, Lance had looked _dead_. He would _not_ let that happen. Not to Lance. Not today. Not _ever_.

"Start heading toward the infirmary. Walk slowly. By the time you get there we should have the cryopods back online," Allura ordered gently. Her blue eyes danced over the wounded Paladin in concern.

"Understood," he nodded.

He and Shiro did as they were told, making their way to the infirmary. Lance was lighter than Keith had thought he'd be, weighing only about a hundred and twenty pounds from what he could tell, though he had to adjust his hold several times.

"He's actually lighter than I thought he'd be," he voiced to Shiro.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Hunk, who'd trailed behind them after he and Coran dropped off the crystal, spoke. "He never really ate much at the Garrison."

"Why not?" Shiro frowned.

"Well, his metabolism for one. He burns calories faster than he gains them…I'm kind of envious," he chuckled halfheartedly. "Second, he was too generous for his own good. Sometimes as a punishment for failure in the Garrison, they'd take away your dinner. If he didn't get it taken away himself, he'd give his away to the people that needed it," he shrugged. "He may seem like a clown all the time, but he's pretty serious when he needs to be."

Keith stopped at the door. Shiro pushed it open, and a frustrated Hunk commed Allura impatiently.

"Allura, is it almost ready?"

' _Just a few more ticks.'_

A whirring echoed through the castle, and the lights slowly flickered on.

Shiro wasted no time in readying a cryopod. He was surprised to almost have to pry Lance from Keith's arms. He gently started to remove his armor.

Allura and Coran, along with Pidge jogged into the room.

"Here," she handed him a cryosuit.

He pursed his lips but shot her a grateful look. He carefully avoided the harsh burns on his face and tried not to bother his injuries as he stripped him of his undersuit to change him.

"How did this even _happen_?" Keith murmured, turning away in distress.

"He saved my life, that's how," Coran crossed his arms, face showing nothing but pride.

Keith arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Coran looked toward Lance as they gently zipped the back of the cryosuit over Lance's burned back, causing him to make a pitiful whimpering sound. "That explosion would have killed me. But Lance shoved me out of the way just in the tick of time. It happened so fast…he was lucky to have been wearing his armor. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if he hadn't."

Keith sighed. Of course. Lance was reckless…but selflessly reckless. Lance would sell his soul to save a complete stranger. He seemed like a douche at first, but once you watched him for a while, it became clear just how much he valued life, all life. Lance couldn't hurt a fly. The only time he ever tried to hurt anyone was during battle, and even then he tried to leave as many alive as he could. Unless of course the enemy was Galra. He was also pretty kind when he wasn't flirting or arguing. He was quiet and reserved, and he didn't talk much.

A hissing sound drew his attention, and he looked up to see they'd gotten Lance in the cryopod. The hissing was the door of the pod, and he watched as the glass iced over and Lance froze in place.

"After a day in here, he _should_ be fully healed…"

* * *

As the others filed out of the room, Keith hesitated. He found his legs moving against his will towards the pod. He softly laid a hand on the glass over Lance's face. He sighed, closing his eyes. Then, he smiled.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Keith grinned at his Lion.

"I missed ya girl," he stroked her massive nose.

Red purred, a sound he'd grown accustomed to. It made a warm, tingly feeling spread in his chest.

What he _wasn't_ accustomed to was the second sound. It was a higher pitched, more…feminine, was the only way Keith could describe it. It was a youthful purr, and he recognized it immediately, even before the shadow of the Blue Lion passed over him.

He turned to face her as she sat down and lowered her head to look at him.

"Hey girl," he smiled, laying a hand on her snout. "How'd you get in here?"

She pressed into his touch happily, and he giggled. She was acting like a big puppy. He looked behind her and realized she must have squeezed through the small passages linking their hangars together.

"You lookin' for Lance, Blue?" he inquired.

She purred, and Keith rolled his eyes. The Blue Lion was too friendly for her own good, but he supposed she took after her Paladin in some ways.

"He can't come and hang out right now, but he'll be okay," he assured her.

She let out a sound akin to a mechanical huff. She moved her nose forward and lifted him by his chest off the ground, then dropped him on his butt.

"H—Ow! Blue!" he whined, rubbing the sore area.

She…it wasn't really a laugh but it was pretty close, but she sniggered smugly at him.

"Oh Ha ha. Very funny. God you're _just_ like Lance!" he groaned.

Then he realized his own Lion was giggling too, the mechanical rumble filling the hangar.

"Aw, c'mon you guys!"

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Well? What do you all think?**

 **Disclaimer: It was kinda cu—WAIT WOT?**

 **Me: What?**

 **Disclaimer: SINCE WHEN DID YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME?**

 **Me: Yesterday?**

 **Disclaimer: Oh…why?**

 **Me: Because I wanted to add Voltron to my name, and I didn't need two Justice League related words in my name?**

 **Disclaimer: I…guess that's reasonable…**

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 **TRANSLATIONS**

 **"Si...estoy despierto."-"Yeah...I'm awake." (Spanish)**

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 **-SWGPOC227**


	2. The Tree

Story: The Tree

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 _Summary: Shiro made Keith untie Lance from that tree, and neither of them were all that upset about it. Not that they'd ever admit that though._

 _Humor_

 _K_

 _Keith K./Lance M. (Implied.)_

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 **Reviews:**

 **Cutie0612: Aw, thank you! Also Klance is totes OTP.**

* * *

 **Me: Oh look it's an update.**

 **Disclaimer: Those are rare gems. And you changed yOUR NAME AGAIN!**

 **Me: Eeyup.**

 **Disclaimer: *shakes head and sighs* We own nothing.**

* * *

"Why am _I_ always the one who has to save your butt?" Keith grumbled.

"Because Shiro hates me?" Lance huffed.

"More like he hates _me_ ," the Red Paladin muttered under his breath.

"Hey! I'm a _joy_ to be around!" the Blue whined.

"Debatable," Keith snorted, using his bayard to slice through the rope binding Lance to the tree.

Lance grunted as the strain on his shoulders eased and his hands snapped back to the sides. He brought his hands together and rubbed his wrists. The skin around the cuffs was red and sore, already bleeding in some places.

"You should've stayed still," Keith smirked. "Now hold still."

"I _am_ ," he argued, though he was clearly lying as he squirmed.

"No, you're _not_. Now give me your hands," he rolled his eyes.

Lance hmphed but complied. Keith carefully used his sword to cut through the cuffs. They clattered to the ground.

Keith hissed, wincing in sympathy at the bruising and the blood from Lance's incessant struggling against his bindings.

"Those look bad…c'mon, let's get you back to the ship," he suggested.

"Yeah," Lance breathed, holding his aching hands closed to his stomach.

* * *

Once on the castle, Shiro went about cleaning and wrapping Lance's wrists and fussing like a worried father over how dehydrated and hungry he must be. Truthfully, Lance _was_ dehydrated, and he was downright _starving_. He'd been out there for two hours without water or food, and he was overheated from the humid air on the planet and from struggling so much. He sighed in relief as Hunk put a cooling pad under his shoulders. He sat up slightly to eat and drink, and he'd never been so happy to see that stupid green food goo. Once Shiro was satisfied with his bandaging and Lance was full, he smiled and patted his leg.

"You'll be okay. Just rest a little bit, okay?" he ordered.

Lance nodded. "Yessir."

He yawned as Shiro stood and left the room. Keith stuck around, watching Lance from where he stood quietly in the corner with his arms crossed in well-hidden concern. He shifted as he fell against the pillows and his eyes slid closed. He heard his breathing even out as he fell asleep. He pushed away from the wall and pulled Lance's desk chair over by the bed. He rested his face from his nose down on his hands, fingers interlocked with his elbows on his knees.

And he waited.

* * *

Lance awoke slowly, feeling _so_ much better than before. He glanced over to see Keith hovering nearby. He could see his chair was askew and almost scoffed at Keith's pathetic attempt to replace it. At the moment, his attention was on the floor.

"Aw, you _do_ care," he murmured.

Keith jumped in surprise.

"N-no I don't. Shiro asked me to check on you," he lied.

Lance smiled and rolled his eyes.

" _Sure_ he did. Mullet," he snarked.

"Moron," Keith quipped back reflexively.

Lance's grin broadened and he giggled, his bright smile lighting up the room. His laugh was so infectious, that even the normally cold-hearted Keith joined in.

After they regained their composure, Lance spoke.

"Hey Keith?"

"Yeah Lance?"

"Thanks."

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 **A/N**

 **Me: N'aww.**

 **Disclaimer: Why are** _ **you**_ **n'awwing? You wrote it!**

 **Me: W-well…I mean…it's still cute.**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah I guess you're right.**

 **-SWGPOC227**


	3. Stranded

**Stranded**

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 _ **Arc Summary: After being stranded on a mission, Keith and Lance must struggle to stay alive through the hellish conditions, all the while without Lions or communication to keep them company.**_

 _ **Story Summary: Keith wakes up on a desolate planet with a damaged Lion and a heavily wounded Lance. Understandably, the rest of the Space Family are slightly worried.**_

* * *

 **Rated: T**

 **Hurt/Comfort/Drama**

 **Keith K./Lance M. (Implied)**

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 **Reviews:**

 **Ruehoos:** **Aw, thanks! I would save your n'awws. You'll need them later. And your tears imeanwhat.**

* * *

 **Me:** **Alright, we're ready to start.**

 **Disclaimer:** **Finally! It's been forever. I wonder how the Keeping Up With the Waynes fans are doing…**

 ***Sun screeches in the background and the Earth starts shaking***

 **Me:** **Oh God. I uh…I've gotta run. *takes off***

 **Disclaimer:** **We own nothing. *hears glass shatter and Sun lets out a war cry. Omni screams and a loud crash is heard* Ooh…that had to hurt.**

* * *

Keith groaned and opened his eyes. He brought an arm up to shield his eyes from the blinding light of the suns as they blazed overhead.

 _Wait…_ _ **suns?**_

He sat up and rubbed his forehead. His hand came away wet and sticky with blood. He squeaked and put an arm over his ribs, and he knew something was bruised, at _least._ He blinked rapidly and looked around.

He was inside of Red's cockpit, and her windshields had been cracked and broken in several places. The ground was sand. _Everything_ for _miles_ was sand. He gritted his teeth as he grabbed his helmet and climbed from his Lion. She was badly damaged, and probably wouldn't fly for a while.

Everything hit him all at once.

He and Lance had been on a mission. It was simple, scout out the nearby planets for intelligent life and new members of the Voltron alliance. Unfortunately, they'd come at the wrong time and been caught in an asteroid field. Not even Keith's Lion could navigate the massive rocks that suddenly. The asteroids had disrupted their comms, so Allura didn't know where they were.

Wait a minute…

 _Lance._

"Lance, Lance can you hear me?" he tried over their radios.

Static.

He sighed and looked around, quickly spotting the pillar of smoke rising in the distance. He turned toward Red. He hoped she'd be alright, but this planet was desolate so he doubted anyone lived here, let alone Galra soldiers with their fur.

He began running toward the smoke, quickly becoming exhausted from the overheating. He considered taking off his armor, but he knew it wasn't safe. He climbed the last sand dune, and there she was.

 _Blue._

She lay on her side, eyes dark and cracked. She too had been damaged in the crash. He squinted, trying to see if Lance had been thrown from his Lion, but no luck. He stumbled down the dune, dropping his helmet, and made his way over to the fallen beast, placing a hand on her nose.

"Hey girl," he whispered hoarsely. "I know you're hurt, and I know you're trying to protect Lance, but you have to pull some strength together and let me in. I just want to help him."

There was a beat where Keith thought the Lion wouldn't let him in, but then her jaws opened with a mechanical groan.

"Wow. Man, Lance needs to work on how easily you trust people. Not that I'm complaining," he rambled, arching an eyebrow.

He grunted as he squeezed into the Lion's mouth already feeling the heat radiating from the metal. He forced his way into the cockpit through the slightly ajar door.

Oh God. Oh _God_.

Lance had fallen from the pilot's seat and now lay in a heap on the floor. His arm was twisted awkwardly, clearly broken. His helmet had fallen off, and the entire right side of his head was covered in blood, having leaked from the wound on his temple down his cheek and chin. He was far too pale for those to be his only injuries, and blood was dripping from his mouth. Keith wished he could say it was from a split lip.

"Lance," he breathed, falling to his knees next to him.

He was wheezing harshly and every once in a while he would cough and blood would dribble down his chin. Keith gently slipped his hand beneath Lance's head, and he ignored the sticky warm liquid that seeped through his black glove.

"Hey moron," he gave a half-hearted chuckle that came out more like a huff. "You've gotta get up for me. I can't carry you and you need to get out of here."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, glazed blue eyes opened.

"Keith?"

* * *

Shiro chewed his thumbnail again, a habit he'd picked up from Keith.

"Anything?" he inquired.

"No, not yet," Pidge sighed.

"Hurry!" he barked.

"I'm _trying_ Shiro!" she whined.

Allura put a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy Shiro," she murmured.

He sighed.

"I _know_ Allura, but—"

"You're worried, I understand. I am too, but you have to stop taking it out on Pidge. She's doing all she can," she soothed, rubbing small circles on his back.

"I know she is, and I'm grateful," he smiled at her before turning his grin on Pidge.

"I think I've got something!" she exclaimed suddenly.

He was at her side instantly.

"What is it?" he asked hopefully.

"I managed to track their last known location. They were approaching a planet called Resona just before their comms went out. From what the planet's files say, for one week every year an impassible asteroid field falls into orbit around the planet. It's some freak event of nature, and no one has been able to explain it yet. It would explain why their comms went out, and if they came out of the wormhole too close to the planet they wouldn't have been able to avoid the asteroids. The week ends in two days, so even if they did crash there we might not be able to make it in," she admitted.

Shiro groaned.

"Can't we try to find out if they're okay?" Hunk tried, eyes big and scared.

She pursed her lips. "I wish we could. The field is still interfering with communications. We won't be able to get a message in from outside the planet's atmosphere. Even if we could their internal comms might not work either, especially after a crash like that," she explained.

Shiro slammed the side of his fist on the wall with an angry roar, causing the others to jump. He sighed again before resting his forehead on the wall.

There was a long moment of silence before Allura perked up.

"Pidge, theoretically if we wormholed someone far enough away from the planet, could they navigate the field?" she asked.

The teen frowned thoughtfully. "I guess, but I doubt they'd make it out, and then they'd be trapped right along with them."

Hunk joined in too. "But they'd be prepared. Medical supplies, food, water, everything!"

"Let's not forget they'd be uninjured and prepared to treat the others," Coran piped up.

"I'll do it," Shiro blurted.

"What?" Pidge looked at him oddly.

"I said I'll go. My Lion may not be fast, but we need Pidge up here to run logistics and keep track of the field. Besides, that's Keith down there. I left him once. I'm not going to do it again," he silenced Hunk's protest before it began.

"Alright," Allura sighed, putting a hand on his back. "But please be careful. I don't want to have to rescue you too."

He smiled at her. "Me? Careful? Never."

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so we need to prepare you. Once you pass that field, there'll be no coming back up until it dissipates. You'll need rest first of all, then you have to gather supplies. Food, cold water, blankets, bandages, and some more supplies to cope with the extreme weather," she rambled.

"Extreme?" Hunk frowned confusedly.

"Resona orbits two suns, and has day and night cycles like Earth. They last a little longer, and because of the suns temperatures during the day can hit highs of over a hundred and twenty degrees. But at night it can drop below freezing. So you'll need supplies to deal with the climate," she explained.

"Like what?" he inquired.

"Aside from the blankets and water, you'll need to take jackets," she shrugged. "Other than that we really don't have much."

Shiro nodded. "Okay. I can do that. Alright everyone, start moving!"

* * *

Keith sighed, smiling slightly.

"Wh—"cough. "Where are we?"

Lance was only half-conscious, but he was lucid and speaking and Keith literally could not ask for anything better.

"I don't know," he murmured, smoothly easing off Lance's armor starting at his chest plate and moving down his left arm. He turned to start taking off the right arm plates, but paused and winced sympathetically.

"Okay Lance, I'm not going to lie to you. This is probably going to hurt. _A lot._ But I need to help you, so you've gotta power through it okay?" he admitted.

Lance's left hand shakily lifted off the ground, deliriously seeking comfort. Keith took it and squeezed gently.

"Just…squeeze if it hurts too bad okay? You can scream if you need to," he offered.

He nodded and the two Paladins made eye contact.

Keith grinned reassuringly, then turned to his injured arm and started on the armor.

Lance shrieked. Not a manly shout. No, Lance would admit this was a shrieked. It was a high pitched, agonized, raw sound and it pained Keith to have to do this to his friend, but he hand no other choice. Lance's hold on his hand tightened to an almost white-knuckled grip. It actually started to _hurt_ , and Keith's fingertips turned a reddish-purple as Lance cut his circulation off. Once the last of the armor clattered to the floor of Blue's cockpit, he quieted down and Keith sat back. Lance let go of his hand and he rubbed his bruised knuckled. Jesus, for such a scrawny, injured kid Lance sure had a tight grip. He leaned forward and placed his hand on Lance's forehead, feeling the heat emanating from his friend through his glove.

"Shh, it's okay Lance. It's over. You're _okay_ ," he soothed, carefully smoothing back his coffee-brown hair as he panted heavily. He pointedly avoided looking at his arm.

Lance whimpered feverishly, and though Keith didn't want to, he knew what came next.

"Lance, have you ever had a bone set?" he inquired softly.

Blue eyes snapped open.

"Yes, and don't you _dare_ ," he whined.

"Lance, I can't help you if I don't," he pointed out.

Lance's lower lip quivered. "Keith, _please_ ," he begged, voice cracking.

Keith frowned and looked around. He sighed and stripped his own armor. He took the sleeve of his under-shirt and tore it off. He crumpled the fabric into a ball.

"Here," he said, offering it to Lance. "Bite down on this. I don't want you biting your tongue."

"Keith," he whimpered pitifully.

Keith sighed and felt like the biggest jerk in the world. "Lance, listen. I _know_ it hurts. But I don't want it to get infected or heal wrong, and that's a compound fracture. It's a clean break and I know how to set it right. I've done it before, okay?" he assured him.

"B-but—"

"How about this. You let me set your arm, and I'll let you take a swing at me when we get better, okay?" he offered jokingly.

Lance let out a wheezy laugh before coughing harshly, blood spattering on his white and blue shirt.

"F-fine…I'm holding you to that," he huffed after he settled down.

"Okay then. Are you ready?" he inquired.

He feebly lifted his good hand and took the fabric, putting it between his teeth.

He nodded and gave a nervous thumbs up, though Keith felt him tense.

He put his hand on Lance's upper arm, then grabbed his wrist.

"Three…," he cut himself off and caught Lance off guard.

He pulled Lances arm toward him.

He winced, struggling against the nausea and gagging as the pop of the bone setting into place echoed through the cockpit.

And then the scream.

This one would have been even worse if it weren't for the fabric. The muffled wail was gut-wrenching and even through the fabric he could hear his teeth grind together. The sound made him shudder, combined with the feeling of Lance's blood coating his hands. He removed his gloves, tossing them aside before crawling away to throw up. The smell was overpowering him. He hated blood.

He quickly returned to his friend's side, taking the fabric from him. As he writhed in agony, he gently ran his fingers through Lance's blood-soaked hair.

"Shh," he soothed. "It'll be okay Lance. It's okay. I'm right here. You'll be okay."

As if to argue with him, Lance coughed, and a low gurgling sound erupted from his throat. Blood bubbled up in Lance's mouth and Keith fought back frustrated tears that matched the ones streaming down Lance's cheeks.

Why Lance? Why was it _always_ him? He'd done nothing to deserve _any_ of this, unless the universe used evil karma to punish too much flirting and suggestive jokes. He'd never been selfish a day in his life, at least not to Keith's knowledge. Hunk had subtly told him over dinner how Lance used to give up his food to his siblings and about how he loved to visit the animal shelter and bring toys to the animals. And he didn't have some dark, depressing past like Shiro, Allura, or any of the others did—excluding Hunk. He gave up _everything he had_ to protect the universe and everything in it, and it just tossed him around like some kind of sick ragdoll. It was like someone had it out for him.

And in that moment Keith wished he could take back everything bad he'd ever said about him.

 _Before it was too late._

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me:** **Wow that was dark as shit.**

 **Disclaimer:** **Yup.**

 **Me:** **Well I guess for me that's normal.**

 **-SWGPOC227**


	4. Rescue

**Rescue**

* * *

 _ **Arc Summary: After being stranded on a mission, Keith and Lance must struggle to stay alive through hellish conditions, all the while without the Lions or communication to keep them company.**_

 _ **Story Summary: Shiro locates the two Paladins, but now he must keep them both alive until the two day limit is up. And with Lance the way he is now that prospect is looking bleak. To make things worse, his little bro is confused and emotional.**_

* * *

 **Rated: T**

 **Hurt/Comfort/Drama/Angst**

 **Keith K./Lance M. (Implied [But not really])**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **Ruehoo:** **Okay, but you have been warned. uwu**

* * *

 **Me:** **Okay, so I've managed to escape my Young Justice fanbase for now…but probably not for long.**

 **Disclaimer:** **Well then, we should probably get started.**

 **Me:** **I suppose so.**

 **Disclaimer:** **We own nothing.**

* * *

Shiro emerged from the wormhole and his breath caught in his throat. The Black Lion purred reassuringly in his ear.

It was a hell hole. The asteroids were bigger than Keith's house in some places, and Lance and Keith's lions didn't stand a chance.

"Okay girl, let's find your sisters," he breathed.

He dodged slowly through the asteroid field with careful precision. He sighed in relief as he entered the planet's atmosphere.

Good Lord it was cold.

"Keith, Lance, are you out there?" he inquired over the comms.

' _S-o?'_

"Keith, is that you?" he tried excitedly.

' _Y…nce…help.'_

"Keith, you're breaking up. Listen, if you can hear me, I'm on my way," he assured him. "I'm bringing food and water, and some medical supplies."

' _H-ry…L…bad.'_

"I'll be there as fast as I can kiddo," he promised.

* * *

Keith hugged his knees close to his chest, shivering violently. He and Lance had made it outside the Blue Lion and were now leaning against her stomach. Lance's lips were turning almost the same color as his Lion, and the frostbite had begun to set in.

"K-K-Keith…'m c-c-c-cold," he murmured, teeth chattering.

"I know. I am t-t-t-t-to," he shrugged, rubbing his own arms and longing for his armor that he knew he couldn't put back on.

"Th-this is g-g-gonna sound weird, b-b-but mayb-be w-w-we can sh-sh-share b-body heat," he suggested awkwardly.

Keith didn't argue or ridicule his suggestion, rather drawing the injured Paladin closer to him, exhaling shakily. A small cloud of frost erupted from his mouth. He wished he'd had chapstick on him when he left earth. His lips were dryer than the sand he sat on. He ignored the blood that stuck to his shirt from Lance's many wounds.

' _Keith, Lance, are you out there?'_

Keith dove for his discarded helmet.

"Sh-Shiro?" he tried.

' _Keith, is that you?'_

"Yes! Sh-Shiro, Lance r-r-really needs help!" he exclaimed. The teen barely moved at the mention of his name, the blood loss starting to get to him.

' _Keith, you're breaking up. Listen, if you can hear me, I'm on my way. I'm bringing food and water, and some medical supplies.'_

For Lance's sake, he avoided screaming with frustrated joy. Instead, it came out as more of a happy squeal, and now Lance was listening intently with a tired look on his pale face.

"Hurry! Lance is h-hurt _b-b-bad!_ " he urged.

' _I'll be there as fast as I can kiddo.'_

The comm cut out and Keith removed the helmet, dropping it beside him where it rolled about a foot away.

"I-i-is he c-c-c-coming?" Lance inquired.

"Y-yeah," he answered, relieved.

"G-g-good. 'C-c-c-cause I d-d-d-don't th-th-think I'm g-g-gonna make it an-nother d-d-day," he admitted with a weak smile.

Keith frowned and wrapped his arm tightly around Lance's shoulders.

"J-j-just h-hold on a little l-l-longer," he begged.

Lance nodded tiredly, head flopping back against Blue's stomach heavily before it rolled against Keith's shoulder. He coughed, and blood trickled down his chin and onto his already bloodied t-shirt. He was pale.

 _Way too pale._

"H-hey, y-y-you ok-kay?" he shook his bicep lightly with his other hand.

He barely caught it, but Lance gagged quietly and Keith rolled him to the side, holding his forehead and rubbing his back as he threw up. A large amount of it was blood.

"B-breathe," he ordered.

Lance drew in wheezy, shuddering breaths. Finally, after he had nothing left to throw up, Lance collapsed into Keith's arms, hardly able to move. He slipped one arm beneath the half-conscious teen's shoulders, the other wrapped around his body with his hand cradling his back. Lance was heavy, most of his weight leaning into Keith. His head lolled against his shoulder.

"Shh…shh," he rocked him slightly.

Lance's glazed blue eyes opened, blinking up at him. He was pretty out of it, but the two locked gazes and all Keith could think about was Lance's eyes. He'd never really taken the time to look at them. They were the same color as the ocean during the storm, or the sky just before a bad storm when the clouds hadn't completely shaded everything. They reflected all of Lance's pain, his joy, his terror… _everything_. They brought out his smile. They were beautiful.

 _He_ was beautiful.

Keith liked guys. He had for a while. Girls just didn't… _click_ with him. The only one that knew he was gay was Shiro, and even then Shiro knew very little. He'd never dated though. He'd never met the right guy. Never trusted them enough.

But Lance was different. Lance made him mad. _Infuriated_ him even. But he also worried him. Made him laugh.

His eyes moved toward the sky, where Lance was now staring.

"Th-the stars 're s-s-s-so p-p-pretty, a-aren't they?" he murmured lazily.

Keith nodded, admiring the black night sky dotted with glimmering stars and the occasional enormous asteroid.

"K-k-kinda reminds you of h-home, huh?" he whispered.

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Wh-when I was t-t-ten, I w-would lie out o-on the b-b-beach at m-midnight n jus' w-w-watch th-the stars d-drift along. It w-w-was p-p-pretty y'kn-know? P-p-peaceful," he rambled. "T-t-totally worth g-g-getting g-g-grounded for b-being up s-s-s-so late."

Keith gave a small laugh.

"A-anyway, wh-when I j-j-j-joined the G-G-Garrison, I w-w-was so excited t-t-to j-j-join the r-r-r-rest of the fighter c-c-class, b-b-b-because th-th-the f-f-fighters a-a-are usually th-the ones th-that get to g-g-go to space. B-b-but then I g-g-got assigned c-c-cargo pilot I was m-m-mad. A-at you. B-b-because out of a-a-all the p-people in our c-c-c-class it had to b-b-b-be you," he blurted.

Keith frowned. "Wh-what?"

"W-w-well it took y-you like n-n-n-no effort. Y-you w-w-were Iverson's f-f-f-favorite, th-the perfect p-p-p-pilot," he shivered.

Keith sighed. "I-I'm s-s-sorry, I didn't m-m-mean—"

"N-n-no. I d-d-don't blame you," he smiled sleepily. "I w-w-w-was just a t-t-terrible p-pilot." He chuckled, then coughed harshly. More blood erupted from his lips.

"Wh-why don't w-w-we s-s-stop talking now, okay?" he offered.

Lance's eyes snapped wide open. "N-no!" he gasped. "I-I c-c-can't. I-if I d-d-do, I m-m-m-might f-fall as-s-sleep and I d-d-don't th-think I'll…," he trailed off.

"Wake up?" Keith arched an eyebrow.

Lance nodded shakily.

"Lance, I w-w-won't let an-n-nyth-th-thing happen t-t-to you," he murmured, gently brushing the hair out of his face. "I promise."

Lance sighed. "O…okay."

Keith smiled. "G-g-good. C-c'mere."

He pulled him closer and continued his gentle rocking.

* * *

He didn't know how long they sat there, but he felt the ground beneath him begin to warm up. He glanced upward, and he knew sunrise was approaching. The dark sky had begun to turn orange along the horizon.

Lance was drowsily blinking up at Keith, watching the thought process on his face. Keith was an anxious thinker. He had tells, and a lot of them. Sometimes he would furrow his eyebrows, or chew his bottom lip. When he thought he was alone, he would twirl his hair around his index finger. There were others, but Lance most commonly saw it in his eyes. They would twinkle curiously as he zoned out, ideas zooming through his head. It was distracting sometimes.

His heart skipped a beat when Keith began to hum. It was a quiet, soft, and peaceful tune that Lance would hear him humming as he passed his room. Both he and Keith liked music, Lance more so than Keith, and they would often be caught singing or humming as they cleaned or worked in their rooms.

Keith started singing. His voice was shivery, but less so than before now that it had started to warm up and Lance was blanketing him.

' _I saw the light, fade from the sky. On the wind, I h-heard a sigh. As the snowflakes c-cover, my f-f-fallen brothers, I will say th-this last goodbye.'_

Lance's eyelids drooped heavily, and he let out a wheezy sigh. Keith was internally freaking out at how _blue_ his lips were and how absurdly pale he was.

' _Night is now falling. S-s-so ends this day. The r-r-road is now c-c-calling, and I, must away. Ov-ver hill, and under t-t-tree, through lands wh-where n-n-never light has shone. B-by silver streams, that run d-down to the sea.'_

Though Lance closed his glazed, tired eyes, Keith could tell he was awake and listening.

' _Under c-cloud, b-b-beneath the stars, over snow one w-w-winter's morn. I t-t-turn at last, to p-p-paths, that lead h-home. And th-th-though where the road then t-t-takes me, I cannot tell. We came all th-this way, but now comes the day, to b-b-bid you farewell.'_

Lance trembled weakly in his arms, and Keith let relief flow through him as the sky began to turn vibrant colors of orange and purple and red. The sand beneath him warmed considerably.

' _Many places I have been. M-many sorrows I have seen. But I don't regret, n-n-nor will I forget, all who took that r-r-road with me.'_

He trailed off as Lance's breathing deepened and evened out, and he went limp in Keith's arms. The peak of the first sun appeared on the horizon as he dozed off, and Keith chewed his bottom lip.

"Come on Shiro, y-you've gotta get here soon," he prayed quietly.

* * *

Shiro spotted her as he crossed above a sand dune.

 _The Red Lion._

He swooped down and picked her up in Black's jaws. He could tell they weren't inside, though. Paladin's intuition.

 _Father's intuition._

He sighed, ignoring the little voice in his head.

"Keith, are you with Blue?" he tried.

' _Y…g-tt…ry, L…ding r…ad.'_

Though he couldn't tell what he was saying, the tone of Keith's voice was enough for him to tell something wasn't right.

"I just picked up Red. What direction do I go?" he asked.

' _Wes…t…oon.'_

He got enough from that to turn toward the rapidly setting moons—there were three—and even though it had been hours since the crash, he could still clearly see the smoke rising from the small fire Lance's lion had caused.

"I see you. I'm on my way," he assured him.

' _H-rry! L…ying!'_

Shiro's heart climbed to his throat. Keith was panicking. Keith _never_ panicked. Like, _ever._

He shot like a bullet toward the smoke, Red Lion in tow.

* * *

Keith was freaking out again. Lance was bleeding again. With the warming temperatures, his body sped up, including his blood flow. Warm, sticky blood spilled over his lips like a river and his naturally browned skin was pale enough to start blending with Keith's, who was already too pale for Shiro's liking. He always said the teen needed more sun. It was unnerving for the Cuban to be this…white. His shirt was drenched with blood, and the rest of him wasn't much better.

* * *

Shiro spotted them the instant he neared the lion. Lance's arm was wrapped in a makeshift splint, and though he looked horrific, it was Keith that worried him. Keith was even paler than he usually was, and his face was covered in both his blood and Lance's. His ankle was swollen, though it didn't look broken. He looked exhausted.

But Lance was faring far worse. He looked like he was laying on death's door instead of cradled in Keith's arms. He landed next to them, placing the Red Lion gently on the ground. He leapt from his own Lion, discarding his helmet. He rushed toward them carrying the supply pack.

"Keith!" he shouted.

The black-haired teen glanced up at him tiredly.

"Sh…Shiro," he smiled, relieved.

"My God," he put a hand over his mouth.

Up close, Keith looked _awful_. The blood was coming from his nose and his temple. He looked like he had been _freezing_ all night, and still was. His fingernails and his lips were an unsettling shade of blue to match Lance's.

Who, by the way, looked _dead_. The only thing that reminded him he was alive was the small puffs of air erupting from his mouth every dozen ticks.

He was sweating, but it was a cold sweat. The cold weather had allowed for a reprieve from the fever that was probably raging through him. He was literally _covered_ in blood, and his arm was definitely broken…good Lord he could see _bone_. He was asleep, but Shiro figured he would probably remain that way even if he tried to wake him.

"Sh…Shiro, you've gotta h-help Lance," the Red Paladin whimpered.

The pitiful plea snapped him out of his stupor. He opened the duffel that acted as his supply bag and emptied it. He carried an oxygen tank, bandages, a thermometer, blankets, food, and water.

"Lay him down flat," he ordered gently, spreading a blanket and helping Keith lay Lance on it. He carefully checked his vitals, and when he slipped the mask over Lance's nose and mouth, he was stunned to see tired blue eyes blink up at him.

"P-Papá?" he whimpered softly.

Shiro smiled comfortingly.

"It's Shiro Lance. You're still on Resona," he soothed.

But all he received in response was Lance's inaudible muttering in Spanish and a harsh cough. He sighed again.

"Keith, how're you doin' buddy?" he inquired as he bandaged Lance's wounds.

"'M okay. Jus' t'red," he murmured, leaning heavily against Blue's stomach.

The ground beneath them rumbled, and Keith's eyes drifted to the Lions. Red was standing, and she shook the sand off her back with a low growl.

"Sh-Shiro, d'you think we can—"

Shiro shook his head. "Lance is in no condition for a wormhole jump right now, and I doubt either of you could fly even if Blue were up and running. Besides, that asteroid field is impassible.

Keith frowned as Shiro nixed his plan. Then, he turned his gaze to Lance.

"He's _dying_ ," he deadpanned exhaustedly.

"Hey, don't start talking like that," he started.

"I _can't_ lose him Shiro. I-I know I act like I hate him, but I don't," he rambled. "I actually like him, because he's funny, and he's actually pretty smart, a-and…"

Shiro studied his younger friend's face.

"I _love_ him," he breathed. "I _love_ Lance, Shiro. Like… _a lot._ "

Shiro smiled. Allura owed him dinner when he got back. He hadn't wanted to partake in the bet at first, but after Allura heard his theory about the two and bet Shiro he was wrong, he couldn't resist suggesting she make him dinner if she lost. He had his own little theory about _her_ too. He bet himself that she was a good cook and just hiding it from them so she didn't have to take Hunk's place in the kitchen.

"I won't let him die Keith. I _promise_ you," he affirmed.

The boy let out a string of words in Spanish and Shiro returned his attention to Lance.

* * *

The next day was a torturous one. Blue had reactivated and now sat with her shield up while Black hovered over them to shade them from the suns. Meanwhile, Shiro and Keith struggled to keep Lance alive, though Keith himself was struggling to stay awake. He was losing blood quickly, and his head wound was getting worse. Turned out it wasn't just a concussion.

Shiro had determined that Lance was bleeding internally and they could do nothing but keep him fed and hydrated. Every once in a while, pain would flare or one of them would touch the wrong place and Lance would let out a blood-curdling scream. It was _horrible_.

And then, _finally_ …

' _Shiro, come in! Can you hear us?'_

Allura. He sighed in relief.

"Get down here. _Now_ ," he ordered.

* * *

Shiro stood between the two cryopods with his arms crossed. Lance would stay in his for the next few days, and he'd wear a brace on his arms to ensure it healed properly. Keith on the other hand would be out in just a few hours, in time to join Shiro and Allura for dinner. Hunk would help her of course, but she would be cooking.

Then, he and Keith would speak about what he would do about Lance. Just years before, he'd helped Keith when he'd been uncertain about his sexuality. It had been difficult enough then. Now he'd get to figure out a relationship with him.

 _Goodie._

* * *

"Mmm," Keith smiled. "This is _amazing_ Allura." He licked his lips.

"Thank you Keith," she smiled gratefully. "I must say, you look _much_ better."

He nodded at the complement with a grin. "I _feel_ a lot better too. Never send us out again without research, okay?"

She laughed. "It's a deal."

* * *

Keith sighed.

"Just try to take deep breaths," Shiro suggested.

"That doesn't _help_ Shiro! I'm in _love,_ not trying to _meditate!"_ he snapped.

Shiro flinched.

"S-sorry," he sighed again, running a hand shakily through his hair.

"It's fine. I've never been good at this kind of stuff," he chuckled softly.

Keith smiled. "You _really_ haven't."

Shiro rolled his eyes and smacked Keith's arm, making both of them laugh.

"Okay then. Let's think. Do you know if Lance is _into_ guys?" he inquired after they'd settled down.

Keith shook his head. "I've only ever seen him go for chicks."

Shiro rubbed his chin, feeling his stubble—he needed to shave. "We could ask Hunk," he shrugged.

"Bu-but what if he tells Lance?" he swallowed thickly.

"Hunk may be terrible at keeping secrets, but he's no gossip Keith," the Black Paladin assured him.

"You guys talkin' about me?"

Both of them nearly leapt out of their skin when Hunk came into the common room and flopped down on the couch.

"Hunk! What a coincidence. Keith wanted to ask you something!"

"Wait what? No I—Ow!"

Shiro elbowed him in the stomach.

"Hunk! I just, um…"

Shiro elbowed him again, and he slapped his arm.

 _"Ow, shit, stop!"_ he hissed.

"What was it?" Hunk tried.

"IsLancestraight?" he blurted.

"What?" the Samoan arched his eyebrow.

"Is Lance uh…," he cleared his throat. "Is Lance straight?"

"Well no," he replied. "Lance is bisexual. Why?" he inquired.

Keith's heart soared excitedly and Hunk gave him a strange look before it hit him.

"OH!" he exclaimed. "You…oh."

"Y-you can't tell him!" he begged.

Hunk smiled.

"I won't. Promise," he saluted, though his voice was serious.

Keith blew out his breath. He was ready ti tell him.

Now, he just had to wait.

 _ **TBC**_

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me:** **That was uh…that was pretty fucking gay.**

 **Disclaimer:** **Eeyup.**

 **Me:** **Welp…gOOD THING I'M PANSEXUAL 8D**

 **Disclaimer:** **You know I hate that face.**

 **Me:** **8D 8D 8D**

 **Disclaimer:** **-_-**

 **-SWGPOC227**


	5. Confessions

**Confessions**

* * *

 _ **Arc Summary:**_ ** _After being stranded on a mission, Keith and Lance must struggle to stay alive through hellish conditions, all the while without the Lions or communication to keep them company._**

 ** _Story Summary: Keith spills his guts to Lance, sort of by accident, but not really._**

* * *

 **Rated: T**

 **Hurt/Comfort/Romance**

 **[Keith K./Lance M.] (No longer implied. ;P)**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **Ruehoos:** **Trust me you will want to save the awws just don't question it. Also, don't worry about replying late, I understand. Also lime?! Also, also. (xD)**

* * *

 **Me:** **Rapid fire chapters this week!**

 **Disclaimer:** **Yeah, you** _ **better**_ **get everything out before July.**

 **Me:** **Guess so…otherwise they have to wait until August.**

 **Disclaimer:** **We should get started then. We own nothing!**

* * *

The hiss of the pod's door was the first thing he heard. When he stumbled forward, he expected to hit cold hard floor. Instead, he landed in a pair of warm arms.

Keith had caught Lance and lifted him into a tight hug.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again," he murmured quietly.

"No promises," he quipped.

"Moron," he smiled.

"Mullet," Lance muttered in return.

Keith steadied him as he let go and left his hand on Lance's cheek for a moment. Lance wrapped a hand around Keith's wrist to keep it there, but then both of them blushed and let their hands fall.

"Uh…here," he handed Lance his cleaned shirt and his jacket. "Get dressed. Head to the dining room, and you can eat something. Then we need to talk," he said, already moving toward the door.

"About w—"

But Keith was already gone.

* * *

Lance wolfed down Hunk's food jovially as though he'd never eaten before.

"Chew before you swallow," Allura laughed.

"I 'm," he mumbled around the food.

She rolled her eyes and left the room.

Finally, once he'd had enough, he pushed the plate away. He hummed contentedly.

Keith sat down next to him, and Hunk stood.

"Well uh…I've got to go…help Coran with the uh…yeah!" he grabbed Pidge by the arm.

"WH—hey!" she yelped, dragging her feet so he would slow down.

He sighed and whispered in her ear, and her face lit up with understanding.

"Ohh," she glanced at Keith. "Yeah, let's go!"

She, Shiro, and Hunk all fled the room, and Lance frowned.

"Weird," he mused.

He jumped slightly when Keith spun his chair around to face his.

"Keith?" he arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Listen. I've…I've got something to tell you, so you're gonna shut up and let me say it okay?" he snapped.

Lance closed his mouth.

"B-back on Resona, when I found you? I was so… _terrified_ I was gonna lose you. And I don't think I could've handled that. You mean too much. To us. To _me_ ," he began.

He watched Lance's expression shift from confusion to curiosity. Then, it changed to surprise.

"Look, I know we're supposed to hate each other, like, passionately. But uh…maybe we could pretend…not to?" he tried.

Lance gave him an odd look.

He sighed and groaned.

"Why am I saying when I'm _so_ much better at _doing_?" he wondered aloud.

He had less than a second to breathe before Keith's lips met his and flattened his back against the chair.

Keith had been prepared for a number of things. Shock, rejection, disgust…

Not this.

Lance practically melted into the kiss and put a hand on Keith's face, entwining his fingers in Keith's long hair and rubbing the skin in front of his ear with his thumb. His other arm wrapped around Keith's waist. The two stood and Lance pressed them together by the waist. It was hot and passionate, and _God_ it was amazing. They stumbled and Lance flattened Keith against the wall.

They finally separated to breathe, both panting heavily.

" _Wow,"_ Keith breathed.

"Yeah," Lance grinned broadly, his teeth sparkling.

"What now?" he whispered.

"Wanna kiss again?" the Cuban suggested.

Keith seemed to consider it for a second.

"Yeah, why not?"

* * *

When Lance and Keith entered the common room, the others took in the messy hair and bruised lips. Pidge was the first to glance down and see the two interlocked pinky fingers slowly turn into a death grip.

She silently high-fived Hunk. Allura looked only slightly shocked, but she had a massive smile on her face. Shiro was absolutely ecstatic, and Coran wasn't surprised at all.

No one said anything as the two sat on the couch together. The meeting began as it had every day, but this time Lance was pressed close to Keith's side. Their hands remained tightly bound together, and occasionally Lance would rest his head on Keith's shoulder. Once they were all dismissed, the two disappeared into the hangar with Lance's lion.

The second they were alone, Lance flattened Keith against Blue's leg. "God, where has your stupid mullet _been_ my entire life?" he whined, nibbling at Keith's ear.

"Oh, I don't know. Wish it had been with you instead though," he snarked, kissing his neck roughly.

"Mmme too," he moaned in agreeance, grinning. He let his nose touch Keith's gently.

"Eskimo kisses? What are we five?" Keith quipped.

Lance kissed him again. "Shut up dropout."

Eventually, the sat down against the mechanical beast, silently cuddling. Shiro found them there asleep only a few hours earlier to wake them for drills.

After that day, Lance no longer flirted with other aliens. Instead, if anyone flirted with him, he would pull Keith close to him by the arm and say, "Have you met my boyfriend Keith? He's the Red Paladin, and he's a _total_ emo _badass_ …"

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me:** **Wow that was** _ **extremely**_ **gay I'm so proud of myself.**

 **Disclaimer:** **Also was that your first lime? I'm so happy!**

 **Me:** **Huh, didn't know you were into limes…**

 **Disclaimer:** **I mean I'm into smut 2 but u kno watever maeks u happy bby.**

 **Me:** **What the fuck who are you Lance from "The Message?"**

 **Disclaimer:** **¯\\_(** **ツ** **)_/¯**

 **-** **SWGPOC227**


	6. NOT A CHAPTER

**HEY, GUYS!**

 ***dodges flying tomatoes***

 **Okay I get it you're angry I haven't updated anything in a while, but it's all because I have pretty much quit writing Fanfiction!**

 **ON THIS WEBSITE CALM YOUR TITS.**

 **You can find all of my content from this point forward on Archive Of Our Own. My profile is WhiteLionOfVoltron. I may occasionally come back here, but I appreciate the mechanics there more as you can much more easily use images and notes. Please go check me out there! My stories have fanart and all that already, sorry I haven't told you sooner! Love you guys. Bye for now!**

 **-Omni**


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